The world without it were a sorry thing!

It’s meat and drink to me! (Sighing.)

Bar. (to Bessie).Thou foolish child,

Revile not that of which thou knowest naught.

Some day, maybe—observe, I say maybe

Some one will love thee—strange things come to pass—

And then thou’lt change thy note.

Bess.If so, I pray

’Twill not be such a one as that gay knight,

Who hath so wondrously bewitched our Gretchen!